What to Look Out for When Looking for a Family-Friendly Rental
Spotting a rental meeting your personal needs and wishes is always tricky – making it work for the whole of your family is nothing less than a feat.
Still, there are ways to get there. Check a list of things you must look out for while trying to find a new home for you and your family.
1. Proximity to Schools
Having a clear idea of your schooling options is of the essence while considering a rental. Proper education for your children should never be compromised – even for the house and location of your dreams.
So, what you need to do as soon as a rental catches your attention, is
- verify its distance from all education centres meeting your children’s needs;
- check their admission procedure; for example, do they have a waiting list?
- check their operation and fame. How big are the classes? What is the reputation of the teaching staff?
Obviously, picking out the proper school presupposes a clear view of your children goals and aspirations, especially regarding his or her professional career.
2. Mind the Location
Families have much more diverse and, often, converse needs than couples or singles. Finding a location catering to the grown-ups needs for proximity to their work or shopping centre does not necessarily mean it serves the children as good.
Naturally, some compromises will be necessary, but other factors must be considered too.
- Is the neighbourhood safe and quiet enough to be considered “family-friendly?”
- Is it close to party-animal joints?
- Is it close to the bus station?
- Is it close to necessary amenities? How far away is the nearest park, hospital or medical centre?
- Is it safe to walk around at night?
- What recreation options does it offer?
- Are there other families with children of around the same age as yours?
Such questions need to be answered and verified by personal experience. Roam the neighbourhood at different times within the day. Ask the locals. Get reliable information before committing yourself.
3. Safety Should Be Your Priority
We have already mentioned how essential it is to check the neighbourhood and make sure it is safe for your kids to move and play around, but what about the rental itself?
Make a thorough check on the locks, windows, doors, casings, alarm systems. Inspect the interior’s layout for possible sources of danger, especially if you have small children. Are there any steep staircases, balconies with short breast wall or rails, poorly maintained wooden fences etc.
4. Make Sure There is Enough Space
Families need much space, both in their residence’s interior and exterior. While parents maintain similar space and storage needs throughout their lives, but children, passing rapidly from one phase of their lives to another, constantly need more and more space, especially during their adolescence. So, you need to make sure there is ample space for all.
Start from the number bedrooms and always keep in mind your current and possible future needs. A couple of toddlers may easily share a single bedroom, but what about two energetic teenagers? What about the space they will need for their playing and fooling around? Is there enough both inside and outside the house?
Mind the rental’s storage space too. Children get easily bored with their old stuff and bring more and more sports equipment, games, clothing, bikes etc. inside the house. Will there be enough space to house them all? Even more, caution will be needed if you share a hobby as a family, like skiing or canoeing.
Much searching and checking eh? Still, it’s worth it, take our word for it. Remember, you know your family’s needs and wishes better than anyone, so you are the only person qualified for the “job.”
Actually, there is a way to share some of the burdens and make things easier for you – contact us and take advantage of our experience and deep knowledge of family-friendly locations across Cyprus!